Culture of NAMBA

Namba has an excellent access from Kansai Airport using the rapi:t limited express in 34 minutes at least. Namba is Osaka’s foremost downtown area, brilliantly lit by neon lights and billboards, with the images of this area often used to represent Osaka itself. Called the pantry of Japan, different cuisines from all over Japan are available here. Clusters of restaurants present you with a wide range of choices of delicious meals at reasonable prices, making Namba a spot that is packed with the culture of Osaka. From here you can also easily get to the other famous sites of Kansai, including Wakayama, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. It’s a great base to start.

Namba Village

Namba Village is an extensive shopping area that is directly accessible from the Nankai Namba Station. It consists of Namba PARKS and Namba CITY, two large scale commercial complexes, and Namba SkyO, which prides itself on presenting true Japanese crafts and accessories for daily life. You may arrive to Namba Village in 34 minutes at least from Kansai Airport, and it has everything you could want; apparel, cosmetics, interior design, baby goods, and more.

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Namba Back streets

The back streets of Namba is where you will see plenty of activities. Plenty of eateries sit shoulder to shoulder in the pocket between Namba and Nipponbashi. You will of course find plenty of food that represents the Osaka flavor, such as okonomiyaki, but there are also plenty of places selling sushi, yakiniku, Italian, and almost any genre of food you can imagine. The laughter lasts until the early hours in the back streets of Namba, where you will experience the warmth that Osaka is famous for.

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Dotonbori

The fun and flavor of Osaka can be found in a condensed version in the area that joins Shinsaibashi and Namba. Casting your gaze from Ebisu Bashi, you take in the highly recognizable billboards and mascots, smell the local foods represented by “flour foods” such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki, shopping in the arcades, and the illumination that lights up the night. Dontonbori is a must for any visitor to Osaka, so make sure to come along and feel the enthusiasm and energy.

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Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street

Find a full range of kitchen implements used by the pros, ceramics and pottery, and other items associated with food such as the traditional curtains hung outside eateries in Japan. This area has the best range of cooking implements in the country for any type of Osaka gourmet and “flour foods”. The wax food samples are particularly popular recently due to their resemblance to the real items. The lessons in how to make these food samples are also extremely popular. The gaudy advertising and displays are another reason to visit.

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Kuromon Ichiba Market

The Kuromon Ichiba Market has an extensive range of choice products from all over Japan, including fresh seafood, fruit, and vegetables. It is famous for being the market where the pros come to get their ingredients.
The tip here is to eat as you browse. While you are exploring the 150 or so different shops, you can enjoy a bowl of seafood or freshly fried tempura made from seafood that was netted that day.

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